Building Deaf Congregations

On Building a Congregation of Deaf People
Transition from Interpreted Services to a Congregation of Deaf People
My Two Cents: by The Rev Roy Brown

On Building a Congregation of Deaf People in the Episcopal Church

by Chris Selfe and The Rev Jay Croft

Over the years, Episcopal church services that involve Deaf people have been of two kinds: (1) signed services and (2) interpreted services. It is our thesis that the emphasis should be on the gathered community using its own language.

We notice that interpreted services in "hearing" churches rarely show growth in numbers of Deaf people, nor do they usually continue very long. The Episcopal Conference of the Deaf has in the past, subsidized interpreter costs for parishes that want to "include" Deaf people in the regular Sunday morning church service.

There are several problems with this approach. First, despite the best intentions of all involved, Deaf people are literally receiving the service "second-hand." The primary language in an interpreted service is spoken and sung English. Sometimes the anthems or hymns are sung in Latin or another language, effectively shutting out participation of Deaf people!

American Sign Language is thus made secondary to the spoken or sung word. Responses are made not to the priest, but to and through the interpreter. This models cultural superiority of the majority and leads to a feeling of disconnectedness and submission.

Deaf people have "voted with their feet," and now few Episcopal churches offer interpreted services. Churches of other denominations emphasize signed services and fellowship opportunities, and these churches are growing.

To complicate matters, the Episcopal Church is less than one percent of America's population. In Alabama, for example, twenty-five percent of the population belongs to a Baptist church. Yet there are thriving Episcopal congregations of Deaf people in Mobile and Birmingham.

Why? We believe that a major factor is the sense of community that comes from holding services in American Sign Language as the primary language. Interpretation in those churches, when given, is sign-to-voice. Even when the Bishop comes or a supply priest takes a Sunday service, it is clear that this is a congregation of Deaf people, and our culture and language are primary.

Remember the days when the Roman Catholic mass was spoken in Latin? The priest was often the only one who understood the service, and the people were only observers. It was not until the Church began utilizing the language of the people that the average lay person felt included. This feeling of isolation is prevalent among Deaf people whose only access to the word of God is via interpreted services. Often, Deaf people who attend interpreted services are not included in the daily life of the parish. Rarely are they encouraged to read the lessons, lead the Prayers of the People, or sign a hymn. Although many times signed hymns may be incorporated into the choir on special occasions, this is not a regular occurrence and sometimes comes across as patronizing.

It is very rare that a Deaf person attending an interpreted service will be elected to the vestry or serve on the altar guild, and-despite everyone's best intentions-often will feel excluded from social functions.

In contrast, the Deaf person who attends a signed service is more likely to be active in the life of his or her parish. A Deaf person who is in a crisis situation often hesitates, due to communication difficulties, to relay his or her need to the non-signing priest. The importance of communication with one's priest cannot be overstated.

Interpreting in an Episcopal Church setting, to be effective, requires an intensive understanding of liturgical terminology. Liturgical interpreting is not taught in most interpreter training programs. Thus the interpreters often are unable to adequately convey the proper interpretation of the texts being read, the sermon being taught or the drama of the liturgy.

Another problem with interpreted services is that often a professional interpreter is not sought. The well-meaning priest, unfamiliar with the intricacies of sign language, will often ask for volunteers who have had a few classes in sign language, thinking that this will be enough.

What to do? We propose the following model, which has several phases. It is modeled on the outline for the Eucharist on pp. 400-401 in the Book of Common Prayer.

Phase 1. Gather in the Lord's name, proclaim and respond to the Word of God, pray for the world, and exchange the peace. In this first phase, a community is gathered: Deaf and hard of hearing people of all ages, families with Deaf members, interpreters, sign language students. Publicity would be done both through the diocese and through the Deaf community. Many may not be Episcopalians or familiar with the Episcopal Church, so a preliminary gathering would take place where questions can be asked. Then, this community would very informally follow these four aspects of the first part of the Eucharistic liturgy. It should follow the structure of Ante-Communion, pp. 355-360 in the Book of Common Prayer. This is simpler than Morning Prayer.

At first, some may feel awkward, but this is to be expected. Instead of a sermon, there would be an informal discussion of the Scripture readings, perhaps using the African model popular on some college campuses.

This first phase would continue anywhere from six weeks to six months. At some point in time the group will be ready for the next step.

Phase 2. Prepare the table, make Eucharist, break the bread and share the gifts of God. At this point the group will be ready for the Eucharist. A priest will be invited to preside at the Eucharist at the same time and place as the group has been gathering. If the priest is not fluent in sign language, then an interpreter will be necessary.

If one or more of the group has not yet been baptized and desires this sacrament, this can be done at the priest's first visit. It will certainly be a very special moment for the group. Since "Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body the Church (BCP p. 298), baptized persons may receive communion at this first visit by a priest. The group should continue as before, with perhaps monthly visits by a priest for Communion. Gradually, the frequency of Eucharists should increase, as the Eucharist is the primary service of the Church.

Phase 3. The group becomes a worshiping congregation. By this time the group has become a community and has grown in Christian faith. It will have become quite familiar with the "Episcopal way." The group becomes a community. It will have its own budget and program. At some point it may request formal recognition of some kind from the diocese.

This three-phase plan, it seems to us, better respects the culture and language of Deaf people. It provides opportunities for growth in both spirit and numbers. It lessens the unintended effects of cultural dominance, and it gives primary leadership to Deaf people.

We humbly offer this model as a method to establish and reestablish strong worshiping communities where Sign Language is the primary language.

[The Rev. Jay L. Croft may be reached at JLCROFT at JUNO . com and Christine Selfe at ACSELFE at YAHOO . com.]

What if you have only a few deaf people who come because the church provides an interpreter? (click )

Back to the Top

A Concept for Transition from interpreted services to a congregation of deaf people.
By the Rev. Deacon Bill Mosier

What interpreters do for deaf people in a hearing congregation and what they don't do.:

An interpreter is not a clergy- An interpreter in a leadership role will soon experience a conflict of interest. If you wish to build a congregation of deaf people, the interpreters must share the concept of working themselves out of a job. Leadership needs to be transferred to deaf people as soon as possible.

Interpreters are valuable tools to attract deaf people to a church but not an end in themselves. Interpreters, if they are part of a church and want to build a ministry, must be prepared to lose their leadership roles. The priest and vestry must not assume the interpreter should lead the deaf people in ministry. They must not assume that they must depend on the interpreter to be the expert on the deaf.
There is an element of courage involved and required in taking communication to deaf people rather than communicating with the interpreter about deaf people. The Deaf People must make their own decisions. This is not the work of interpreters.

On doing outreach to Deaf People:

The deaf people are to be empowered to establish community of friends in the church and this is most likely to be with other deaf people. The hearing people must not assume they are doing outreach to deaf people by providing access to the church.

Access to Church is a right of every Christian person. See BCP page 298
"Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's body the Church."

Outreach is specific helping of those in need. This is not a situation of outreach.

Deaf people in a hearing church are honoring that church simply by being there, .
Interpreters are there to attract people who are in the deaf community and who will be in the church as Deaf People. When this happens you have the makings of a deaf congregation.

So who can we expect ??

Kinds of deaf people typical in a deaf congregation:
deaf culturally deaf who sign and are white collar
deaf culturally deaf who sign and are blue collar workers
deaf culturally deaf who sign and have secondary disabilities
Such as: Cerebral Palsy, Neurological, or other physical disabilities with cognitive and affective
functioning intact
deaf people with emotional and mental disabilities
deaf people with developmental disabilities
deaf late deafened who sign and speak
hard of hearing people who sign
hearing people who have deaf children
hearing people who have deaf parents
hearing people who relate closely with the deaf community
and all of these people will be of all the various ages and types that you find in the general human population

from Leading to leadership:
A leader is recognized by the deaf community as someone who
communicates well and has their welfare at heart.
A leader eventually needs to be able to empower the congregation to ministry. This involves a primary responsibility of identifying others who will be able to carry on if the leader is not there. By this time the people would be ready for a priest.

from Leadership to program and ministry :
This is a discernment of what the congregation is about. What are the goals for the ministries of the people. We develop Christian People not social activities - the social activities are tools for learning Christian belief, practice, and praise


from Program and Ministry to endurance:
Endurance involves planning for the future of the congregation. A large part of this is continued work on developing leadership. Leadership must involve youth.
Endurance involves consistency even when times are bad


from Endurance and development to youth ministries:
Deaf Youth must be involved in the work of the church. Contact must be with Parents of deaf children. Letting them know your program provides services
specifically for them and their children in an environment that welcomes and cherishes them.

from Youth to leadership:
The leaders of tomorrow are the youth of today.
Get involved in Deaf Education. Go to the school functions. Get to know the teachers. Identify parents who are searching for services for their children.

Back to the Top

My 2 cents:

Trinity Church in Rockland is, I feel, one of the best examples of an interpreted ministry, primarily because the rector and congregation make sure the Deaf members are fully integrated into the life of the Church community.

There is always at least one Deaf person on the vestry; the Sunday School is interpreted where appropriate; things like the monthly parish suppers have an interpreter present. Of course, it helps that the two interpreters are members of the congregation, one of them presently the senior warden.

Deaf members are on the regular roster of readers and liturgical assistants. In fact, when Trinity was admitted into Convention as a parish two years ago Ozzie Parker, the Deaf 'Patriarch' of the congregation, was chosen to read one of the lessons at the Convention Eucharist.

The liturgical leaders of the parish take the interpreters into consideration when planning services... the interpreter is always right in the sanctuary beside the priest so there's no 'tennis match' head turning. Also, during Deaf Awareness Week a couple of years ago, St. Andrew's congregation went to visit Trinity and we had a reverse service where I celebrated (silently) and the Deaf folk took over the whole service with the two interpreters standing at the back of the congregation voicing for the sign-impaired.

I write all this only to point out that if Trinity wasn't there doing what it is, that group of Deaf people on the South Shore would not have a service to attend.

Roy

Home